Dear Brother.....have went through
some prety hard rubs

Dear Brother I take my seatthis afternoon to write youa few lines in answer tothe letter which i recievedfrom you which I was veryglad to hear from you andfamily and that you werewell and a getting a longfine and I hope these fewlines will find you enjoyinggood health and all the blessingsof this life as for myself Ihave not been very well forsome time I have not doneany duty for several daysbut I have got about wellI am still in good spirits.I never get home sick forI want to see the thingthrough
if I keep my health.
I think that I shall come home.in about one year if everything works right at
Richmond
I think that
Grant
will do
things up about right and ifhe dose we to the southernconfederacy I would like to
try my carbine a pop one
old reb I should be veryapt to make a hole in hishide for I can shoot pretyclose our guns will cury upnine hundred yards
and dogood exocoution we have jolytimes hear well John I wishyou could be hear a whilefor I should like to see youwe don't have much to dohear we have casy timesand I don't know when wewill leave hear I don't care much for it is a good place hear I would not be surprised
if we stay hear all this summer it is not very sickley hear the boys are all well from
our neighborhood excoept
Omer Wilson he has been at the
Hospital for some time he has not been able
for duty much of the time he has ben out I have him to day
he is prety weak and looks bad I have stood it very well what time i have ben out
I have went through some prety hard rubs when I was on that march down to
camden
I stood it as well as any of
the boys that was along well John I want you to tell me al the news when you answer this letter I want you to answer this as soon
as you can I want you to tell me how Luke and Lin is getting a long first would like to see them once more
the weather is fine hear we have plenty of showers well I must close my letter you must excuse my poor writing
for my pen is very poor I want you show this to the old folks nothing more give my love to Mary and all myfriends

George to John CowenDirect your Letter asbefore and it will go
strait.

The seasonal nature of these afflictions aided diagnosis, with cases of malaria
peaking in early autumn and declining rapidly in winter, typhoid dominating in
the summer months, and pneumonia and influenza ("epidemic catarrh")
appearing in winter. Infectious diarrheas fluctuated throughout the year and
were known by popular names such as the "Tennessee trots," the
"Virginia quickstep," and the "alvine flux." These cases
probably included typical bacterial, amebic, and other parasitic infections as
well as cholera and typhoid..

Most people who study the American Civil War know that disease not bullets was
the leading cause of death during the war. The biggest killer was chronic
diarrhea with 27,558 deaths with typhoid running a close second with 27,050
deaths. Chronic diarrhea is a symptom rather than a disease, so who knows what
disease killed the most. The above stats are for for the Union, here's the
causualty count for both sides.

Brigade of the Second Division was composed of
the Third and Fourth Iowa and Tenth Missouri, with Colonel Noble as
Brigade Commander, and Major B. S. Jones, in command of the Third
Iowa. On the 5th of August this cavalry force left Memphis and, in
co-operation with General A. J. Smith's Division of Infantry,
proceeded upon an expedition to Oxford, Miss. The Third Iowa performed
its share of duty upon this expedition, but did not suffer any serious
casualties. It returned with the other troops to Memphis, on August
30th, just in time to start upon one of the most important campaigns
in the history of its service- that against the rebel army commanded
by General Price, which had again invaded the State of Missouri.
The campaign against Price was one of the most brilliant and effective
of the closing campaigns of the western armies. And during its entire
progress the Third Iowa Cavalry performed most arduous and conspicuous
service. Major B. S. Jones, who commanded the regiment during this
period of its service, gives a carefully detailed account of all its
movements in his official report. His report is dated at Benton
Barracks, Mo., November 28, 1864. Major Jones assigned command, and
left Memphis with his regiment on the morning of September 2, 1864. At
that time the available mounted force of the regiment was 483 men and
15 line officers, and formed a part of the brigade commanded by
Colonel Winslow of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. The command marched to
Cape Girardeau, Mo., arriving there October 5th, and, embarking on
transports, proceeded to St. Louis, where it arrived on October 10th .
The next day it started on the march up the Missouri Valley, marching
rapidly and almost constantly until October 22nd, on which date it
joined the forces under Major General Pleasanton, then engaged in
conflict with the enemy near Independence, Mo., participated in that
battle, and in the battles of the Big Blue and Osage Rivers, which
quickly followed, the first being fought on the 23rd and the second on
the 25th of October.
In all Three of these battles the Third Iowa cavalry distinguished
itself, boldly charging the enemy and capturing many prisoners. The
following extracts are made from the concluding portion of the
official report of Major Jones, referring to the conduct of his
regiment in the battle on the Osage River, and the closing scenes of
the campaign: . . . . The enemy, having been routed from his position
on the
river, was followed up at a gallop for several miles, by Winslow's
brigade, in the following order, Tenth Missouri, Fourth Iowa, Third
Iowa, Fourth Missouri and Seventh Indiana Cavalry, when he attempted
to make a stand, formed on the open prairie, in two lines of battle,
supported by eight pieces of artillery. My command was formed in line
of battle, with the brigade in column of regiments, in their order of
march, and constituting the left center of our whole line, We charged
the enemy, breaking his right and center, killing, wounding and
capturing many of his men. Among the captured were Generals Marmaduke
and Cabell, the former by Private James
Dunlavy, of Company D, and the latter by Sergeant C.M. Young, of
Company L, both of the Third Iowa Cavalry/ Companies C, d and E
captured three pieces of the enemy's artillery. The whole of my
command did nobly on that field, as also on others, and the highest
commendations are due to every man and officer. The remainder of this
day was one continued charge upon the enemy, and
his compete rout. We rested on the open prairie over night, near Fort
Scott. On the 26th of October we rested our brigade, at Fort Scott.
Early on the 27, again joined in the pursuit of the enemy, and
continued through Arkansas and the Indian Territory to a point on the
Arkansas River, forty miles above Fort Smith, without again seeing the
enemy. From there we returned to this place, having marched, since
September 2nd, 1,650 miles participated in three general
engagements, marching through a country destitute of forage, it having
been devastated by the enemy, and many times without food for my men,
having had only three fifths rations from the 28th, ult. To the 7th
inst., and not any bread from the 7th to the 12th inst., in
consequence of the destitution of the Indian Territory through which
we marched, and the great distance form the base of supplies. We
suffered a total loss of sic men killed, and two officers and
forty-one men wounded, several of whom have since died. I append a
list of casualties.

(The
above letter is dated June 13, 1864. Over two years later after William died of
Typhoid during the War. So it can't be William and I can't find any reference to
his brother George having served in the Civil War.)

Cowen, A. H.,
far., S. 5; P.O. Lebanon; owns 75 acres, valued at about $35 per acre; born in
Philadelphia June 12, 1810, and came to this county in 1853; he was on the first
train that went through on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from Baltimore to
Fredericktown. His wife, Cornelia M. Smith, was born in Washington D. C., Oct.
25, 1819; they were married Feb. 5, 1846; John
T., is their only child living;
have, lost Nancy M., George H. (Civil
War-Company unknown) and Edward B. Member of the Methodist Church;
Republican.

Van Fleet,
Abraham, farmer and
stock-raiser, Sec. 35; P.O. Lebanon; born in Hunterdon Co., N. J., March 4,
1817; in 1836, moved to Franklin Co., Ohio; in 1842, to Iowa, and settled on his
present farm. Married Mattie Berger October, 1835; she was born in Hunterdon
Co., N. J., Aug. 1, 1811, and died Sept. 16, 1870; had six children; one died in
infancy; another, William, was a member
of Co. F., 2d Iowa V. I., and died of typhoid fever in the hospital at Mound
City, Ill., Feb. 24, 1862; the living are Getty M., Aaron,
Mary, Julia and Thomas. He married Alvira Van Treese June 15, 1871. She
was born in Franklin Co., Ind., Dec. 22, 1840; had four children; three living--George,
Jerry and Clarence. He owns 180 acres of land, valued at $6,000.

MAY J. COWEN--May J. Van Fleet, daughter of Abraham and Mattie Van Fleet, was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, Feb. 12, 1844, and passed away Nov. 21, 1924, age eighty years, nine months and nine days.
On April 12, 1863, she was united in marriage to John Cowen. To this union two children were born, William Elmer and George Wesley. The husband and sons all preceded her to the other land, the husband in 1912, Elmer in 1907, and George in 1923.
She leaves to mourn their loss, one sister, Mrs. Julia Brown of Milton; four grandchildren, Sydney of Cleveland, Ohio; John Nellie and Don of Keosauqua; also two great grand children, George Elmer and Wayne J., with other relatives and
friends. Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon, Nov. 23, at the Methodist church in Lebanon, Iowa, by Rev. H. F. Gilbert of Milton, Iowa, assisted by the Rev. B. C.
Supplies of Troy, Iowa. (Photocopy of this obit found on page 203 of Obit Book of the Van Buren County Genealogical Society's collection at
the Keosauqua Public Library in Mar 2001. Name of newspaper and date of obit not given.)
I am NOT related and am posting this obit for those who may find this person in their family history.

"....give my
love to Mary and all my friends George to John Cowen." (This raises
the question.)

Organized at Keokuk August 30 to September 14,
1861. Moved to Benton Barracks, Mo., November 4-6, and duty there till
February 4, 1862. (Cos. "E," "F" "G" and
"H" detached to Jefferson City, Mo., December 12, 1861, and duty
in Northern and Southern Missouri till July, 1863. See service following
that of Regiment.) Cos. "A," "B," "C,"
"D," "I," "K," "L" and
"M" moved to Rolla, Mo., February 4-6, 1862. (Cos. "I"
and "K" detached to garrison, Salem, Mo., February 11, 1862.
Scout to Mawameck February 12. Expedition to Mt. Vernon February 18-19.
Action at West Plains February 20. Scouting after Coleman's guerillas till
April. Actions near Salem February 28 and March 18. Rejoin Regiment near
Forsythe April, 1862.) Regiment march to join General Curtis February
14-18. (Co. "L" detached at Springfield, Mo.) Attached to
Curtis' Army of Southwest Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, February to May,
1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Southwest Missouri, to July,
1862. District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to October, 1862.
3rd Brigade, 4th Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, to December,
1862. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept.
of Tennessee, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, 13th
Corps, Dept. of Tennessee, to April, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division,
District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Tennessee, to June, 1863. Bussy's
Cavalry Brigade, Herron's Division, Dept. of Tennessee, to August, 1863.
Reserve Cavalry Brigade, Army of Arkansas, to January, 1864. 1st Brigade,
1st Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to May, 1864. 2nd
Brigade, Cavalry Division, 16th Corps, Dept. of Tennessee, to June, 1864.
2nd Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to
December, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee,
to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps,
Military Division Mississippi, to June, 1865, District of Georgia to
August, 1865.

SERVICE.-Expedition to Fayetteville, Ark., February 22, 1862. Battles of Pea
Ridge March 6-8. (Cos. "D" and "M" escort
prisoners to Rolla, Mo., March 12-31.) March to Batesville via Cassville,
Forsythe, Osage and West Plains April 6-May 1. (Cos. "L" and
"M" detached at Lebanon, Mo., operating against guerillas till
November, 1862; then join Cos. "E," "F," "G"
and "H"). (Co. "D" guard train to Rolla, Mo., May 25
to June 20.) Action at Kickapoo Bottom, near Sylamore, May 29. Sylamore
May 30. Foraging and scouting at Sulphur Rock June 1-22. Waddell's Farm,
Village Creek, June 12. March from Batesville to Clarendon on White River
June 25-July 9. Waddell's Farm June 27 (Co. "K"). Stewart's
Plantation, Village Creek, June 27. Bayou Cache July 6 (Co.
"I"). Hill's
Plantation , Cache River, July 7. March to Helena July 11-14. Duty
there and scouting from White River to the St. Francis till June, 1863.
Expedition from Clarendon to Lawrenceville and St. Charles September
11-13, 1862. LaGrange September 11. Marianna and LaGrange November 8.
Expedition to Arkansas Post November 16-21. Expedition to Grenada, Miss.,
November 27-December 5. Oakland, Miss., December 3. Expedition up St.
Francis and Little Rivers March 5-12, 1863 (Detachment). Expedition to Big
and Little Creeks and skirmishes March 6-10. Madison, Ark., March 9
(Detachment). Madison, Ark., April 14 (Detachment). LaGrange May 1. Polk's
Plantation, Helena, May 25. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., June 4-8. Siege of Vicksburg
June 8-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10. Near Clinton July
8. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Near Canton July 12. Canton, Bolton's
Depot and Grant's Ferry, Pearl River, July 16. Bear Creek, near Canton,
July 17. Canton July 18. At Flowers' Plantation till August 10. Raid from
Big Black on Mississippi Central Railroad and to Memphis, Tenn., August
10-22. Payne's Plantation, near Grenada, August 18. Panola August 20.
Coldwater August 21. Moved to Helena, Ark., August 26; thence moved to
Little Rock, arriving October 1. Duty at Berton, Ark., October 1 to
December 20. Expedition to Mt. Ida November 10-18. Near Benton December 1.
Expedition to Princeton December 8-10. Ordered to Little Rock December 20.
Regiment Veteranize January 5, 1864. Veterans on furlough January 6 to
February 5. At St. Louis, Mo., February 6 to April 26. Ordered to Memphis,
Tenn., April 26. Operations against Forest May to August. Sturgis'
Expedition to Guntown, Miss., June 1-13. Near Guntown June 10. Ripley June
11. Smith's Expedition to Tupelo, Miss., July 5-21. Saulsbury July 2. Near
Kelly's Mills July 8. Cherry Creek July 10. Huston Road July 12. Okolona
July 12-13. Harrisburg, near Tupelo, July 14-15. Old Town or Tishamingo
Creek July 15. Ellistown July 16 and 21. Smith's Expedition to Oxford,
Miss., August 1-30. Tallahatchie River August 7-9. Holly Springs August 8.
Hurricane Creek and Oxford August 9. Hurricane Creek August 13, 14 and 19.
College Hill August 21. Hurricane Creek August 22. Repulse of Forrest's
attack on Memphis August 21 (Detachment). Moved to Brownsville, Ark.,
September 2. Campaign against Price in Arkansas and Missouri
September-November. Independence, Big Blue and State Line October 22.
Westport October 23. Battles of Charlot, Marias des Cygnes, Mine Creek, Little
Osage River October 25. White's Station, Tenn., December 4
(Detachment). Grierson's Raid from Memphis on Mobile & Ohio Railroad
December 27, 1864, to January 6, 1865 (Detachment). Near White's Station
December 25. Okolona December 27. Egypt Station, Miss., December 28.
Mechanicsburg January 3, 1865. At the Pond January 4. Moved from
Vicksburg, Miss., to Memphis, Tenn.; thence to Louisville, Ky., January
6-15, 1865, and rejoin Regiment. Regiment at St. Louis, Mo., and
Louisville, Ky., till February, 1865. Moved to Chickasaw, Ala.; Wilson's
Raid to Macon, Ga., March 22-April 24. Montevallo March 31. Six-Mile Creek
March 31. Maplesville April 1 (Co. "L"). Ebeneezer Church, near
Maplesville, April 1. Selma April 2. Fike's Ferry, Cahawba River, April 7
(Co. "B"). Montgomery April 12. Columbus, Ga., April 16. Capture
of Macon April 20. Duty at Macon and at Atlanta, Ga., till August.
Mustered out August 9, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 79 Enlisted men killed and
mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 230 Enlisted men by disease. Total
318.

Companies "E," "F," "G" and "H"
ordered to Jefferson City, Mo., December 12, 1861. Attached to Army of
Southwest Missouri to February, 1862. District of North Missouri to
August, 1862. District of Southwest Missouri to November, 1862. Cavalry
Brigade, District of Southeast Missouri, to June, 1863. Reserve Cavalry
Brigade, Army of Southeast Missouri, to August, 1863. Reserve Brigade, 1st
Cavalry Division, Arkansas Expedition, to October, 1863.

SERVICE.-Engaged in operations against guerillas about Booneville,
Glasgow, Fulton and in North Missouri at Lebanon, and in Southwest
Missouri covering frontier from Iron Mountain to Boston Mountains till
June, 1863, Companies "L" and "M" joined November,
1862. Actions at Florida, Mo., May 22, 1862. Salt River, near Florida, May
31. Boles' Farm, Florida, July 22 and 24. Santa Fe July 24-25. Brown
Springs July 27. Moore's Mills, near Fulton, July 28. Kirksville August
26. Occupation of Newtonia December 4. Hartsville, Wood's Fork, January
11, 1863, Operations against Marmaduke April 17-May 2. Cape Girardeau
April 26. Near Whitewater Bridge April 27. Castor River, near Bloomfield,
April 29, Bloomfield April 30. Chalk Bluffs, St. Francis River, April
30-May 1. Davidson's march to Clarendon, Ark., August 1-8. Steele's
Expedition to Little Rock August 8-September 10. Reed's Bridge or Bayou
Metoe August 27. Shallow Ford, Bayou Metoe, August 30. Bayou Fourche and
capture of Little Rock September 10. Rejoined Regiment at Little Rock
October 1, 1863.

Camden Expedition
[April 1864]

Steele,
Frederick, major-general, was born at Delhi, Delaware county, N. Y., Jan. 14,
1819. He graduated at West Point in 1843, was assigned to the 2nd infantry,
served through the war with Mexico and was twice brevetted for gallantry at
Contreras and Chapultepec. In 1849 he was sent to California; from 1853 to 1860
his duty was in the Northwest. He was commissioned captain in Feb., 1855, major
in May, 1861, colonel of the 8th Ia. infantry in Sept. 1861, brigadier-general
of volunteers in Jan., 1862, and major-general of volunteers in Nov., 1862.
During the first year of the war he had command of a brigade in Missouri and
took part in the battles of Dug springs and Wilson's creek. In 1862 he was at
the head of a division in the Army of the Southwest and as stated above was
promoted major-general of volunteers on Nov. 29. He led the 15th army corps in
the Yazoo expedition and the capture of Arkansas post in Jan., 1863; was
transferred to the 15th corps, engaged in the Vicksburg campaign, bore a part at
Chickasaw bayou and in the taking of Fort Hindman, and in the summer was made
lieutenant-colonel and brevet colonel in the regular army. His division was sent
to Helena, Ark., in July and took possession of Little Rock on Sept. 10. After
some months in command of the Department of Arkansas he was sent to the aid of
Gen. Canby in the reduction of Mobile early in the winter of 1864. In 1865 he
was brevetted brigadier- and major-general, U. S. A., sent to Texas and thence
to the command of the Department of the Columbia. He became colonel of the 20th
infantry in July, 1866, remained in the volunteer service until March, 1867, and
died at San Mateo, Cal., Jan. 12, 1868.

Ulysses S. Grant, promoted to lieutenant general and transferred
East to command all Union armies, calls for a war of attrition against the
Confederacy's two principal armies: Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia
and Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee. Early in May, with Atlanta as his
objective, Sherman, Grant's successor in the West, attacks Johnston at Rocky
Face Ridge west of Dalton. For the next eight weeks the two armies grapple their
way south into central Georgia. On July 17, With Sherman's armies approaching
Atlanta, Confederate President Jefferson Davis fires Johnston and replaces him
with Gen. John B. Hood. Hood Abandons Johnston's defensive strategy and boldly
sends his troops to attack Sherman in a series of costly battles that only serve
to underscore the futility of such tactics.

On September 1, after a long siege by Sherman's soldiers,
Atlanta is evacuated and Hood withdraws, regroups, and advances into Tennessee.
Within three months his Army of Tennessee is virtually destroyed in battles at
Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville. Meanwhile, in mid-November, Sherman burns
Atlanta and begins his famous "March to the Sea." Elsewhere, the
blockade continues to tighten as Union amphibious forces seize the forts
guarding the entrance to Mobile Bay and Admiral Farragut's ocean-going squadron
crushes a Confederate fleet.

Feb 3-Mar 4 Meridian Expedition, Miss.

* Feb 22 Battle of Okolona

Feb 20 Battle of Olustee (Ocean Pond), Fla.

Mar 12-May 20 Red
River and Camden Campaigns, La.-Ark.

Mar 23-May 3 Camden
Expedition, Ark.

Apr 8 Battle of
Mansfield, La.

Apr 9 Battle of
Pleasant Hill, La.

Apr 30 Battle of
Jenkins' Ferry, Ark.

Apr 12 Fort Pillow "massacre," Tenn.

May 7-Sep 2 Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, Ga.

May 13-15 Battle of Resaca

May 25-28 Battles of New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, and
Dallas.

Jun 27 Battle of Kennesaw Mountain

Jul 20 Battle of Peachtree Creek

Jul 22 Battle of Atlanta

Jul 28 Battle of Ezra Church

Aug 31-Sep 1 Battle of Jonesboro

Sep 2 Union troops occupy Atlanta

Jun 10 Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Miss.

Jul 14 Battle of Tupelo, Miss.

Aug 5 Battle of Mobile Bay, Ala.

Aug 29-Dec 25 Price's Raid, Ark.-Mo.-Kan.-Indian Terr.-Tex

Nov 15-Dec 21 Sherman's Savannah Campaign (March to the Sea),
Ga.

Nov 22 Engagement at Griswoldville, Ga.

Nov 30 Engagement at Honey Hill, S.C.

Dec 13 Capture of Fort McAllister, Ga.

Dec 21 Savannah, Ga., occupied

Nov 29-Dec 27 Hood's Tennessee Campaign

Nov 29 Affair at Spring Hill

Nov 30 Battle of Franklin

Dec 15-16 Battle of Nashville

Prairie DeAnn BattlefieldThe story of the four days of fighting on
Prairie De Ann is a part of the story of the expedition of the Union forces into
Southern Arkansas in the spring of 1864. This expedition was made up of two
armies, one from Little Rock, and one from Fort Smith. It lasted for a period of
forty days and, reckoning from Little Rock, covered a distance of about 275
miles. It included, besides the fighting on Prairie De Ann, the battles of
Okolona, Elkins' Ferry, Poison Spring, Marks' Mills, and Jenkins' Ferry and
almost continuous skirmishing over much of the route.

Prairie De Ann, a circular body
of land embracing some twenty-five or thirty square miles, lies in the northern
part of Nevada County, a hundred miles southwest of Little Rock. The Forests
that once surrounded it have largely disappeared, and, except by local people,
its name is almost forgotten. Located in the central section of the prairie is
the city of Prescott, the county seat, with a population of approximately four
thousand. The rest of the prairie, for the most part, is taken up by farms and
ranches. Through the prairie and the city passes the Missouri Pacific and the
Prescott and Northwestern Railroads, and paved Highways 67, 371, and 19.

In the days of the Civil War,
Prairie De Ann was far different from what it is today. One soldier, looking
upon it for the first time, said that it "stretched away smoothly as a sea
of glass." Another said, "Like an oasis lies this beautiful prairie in
the midst of dense forests and almost impassable swamps, a relief for the eye of
the traveller, who for many days has hardly seen anything but rocks crowned by
dark pines or gloomy cypress swamps." The city, the railroads, and the
highways had not then been built. Much of the land was unoccupied. Here and
there, widely seperated, were a few small farm houses, and the village of Moscow
nestled away in the eastern edge. The prairie was a well-known landmark and
noted for its singular natural beauty.

In the second week of April,
1864, for four days, this prairie was a scene of conflict between the Union and
the Confederate armies. The engagements as a whole are usually referred to as,
"The Battle of Prairie De Ann." But more specifically, the fighting on
the north side of the prairie, on the first afternoon and night, was, to the
Union soldiers, "The Battle of Prairie De Ann." To the Confederates it
was "The Battle of the Gum Grove on Prairie De Ann." On the southern
and western sides, Fort McKay and other defenses erected by the Confederates to
command the road to Washington, after being attacked, on the third day, by the
Union forces, were evacuated by the Confederates. On the eastern and southern
sides, on the fourth day, was fought the "Battle of Moscow."

Remnants of the "Gum
Grove" still stand. Sections of the old entrenchments, now dimly visible
and almost forgotten, can still be seen lying along the western edge of the
prairie to the north and to the south of Hwy 371. Other sections are said to be
overgrown and hidden by the woods. The village of Moscow has long ago merged
with the city of Prescott, but an old church and a cemetery mark the sight where
the four days of fighting came to an end, and were the Union forces left the
prairie on their march to Camden.

The story of the fighting on
Prairie De Ann is not well-known in Arkansas history. The number of casualties
was relatively small, but the engagements here were significant in that they
marked the end of the advance of the Union army toward Red River, as well as the
point at which it became evident to the Confederates that the Union army would
not attempt to capture Washington, at that time the Confederate Capital of
Arkansas, but would proceed to Camden, then the most strongly fortified place in
the southern part of the state, and a place that had recently been evacuated by
the Confederates in their effort to protect Washington.

On Sunday, April 10, the stage
was set for the Union advance onto the prairie. General Frederick Steele was
encamped on the Cornelius farm, some four miles to the north. He had arrived
here three days earlier, and had waited for the army of General John M. Thayer
to join him. Steele had set out from Little Rock on March 23 and Thayer from
Fort Smith on the same day. Thayer had been delayed but had finally joined
Steele on April 9. The combined forces, now ready to advance, consisted of
approximately 13,000 men, 800 wagons, and 12,000 horses and mules, and 30 pieces
of artillery.

Soon after noon, Gerneral Steele
broke camp and began moving his troops along the road toward the prairie. For
about four miles the road led through a pine forest. When the troops reached the
edge of the prairie they looked out over the broad expanse of landscape now
comprising the Gene Hale Cattle Ranch and the land beyond. They saw "large
numbers of the enemy cavalry ... deployed upon the central ridge of the prairie
running east and west, while the ridge in front commanding the point where the
road enters the prairie was held by the enemy's skirmishers concealed in the
dense undergrowth covering the same." From the point at which it intersects
Hwy 19, the old road by which they entered the prairie can still be seen losing
itself in the woods to the north.

First to arrive on the prairie
was the Third Brigade of the Third Division, commanded by Colonel Adolph
Engleman, with Battery A, Third Illinois Artillery. These troops deployed to the
right of the road, the Fortieth Iowa taking its place to the Battery and the
Forty-third Illinois to its left. After a short time the Fortieth and
Forty-third were moved forward as skirmishers and the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin
was advanced to support the Battery.

As the line advanced, it extended
westward from the road for a mile or more and covered the ground between what is
now Hwy 19 and Hale's reservoir and club house. At one time the road now
connecting Hwy 19 and Hale's club house probably was about the location occupied
by these advancing troops.

After the Third Brigade had moved
in, the First Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General Samuel A. Rice, entered
and employed to the left of the road. This Brigade consisted of the Fifteenth
Indiana, as Twenty-ninth Iowa, the Thirty-third Iowa, and Voegele's Battery,
manned by Company F, Ninth Wisconsin Infantry. As this Brigade advanced, for a
time, it occupied the area through which now runs Hwy 19 and probably extended
from near Hale's cattle barn on Hwy 19 to suburbs of the present city of
Prescott.

The Second Brigade, commanded by
Colonel William E. McLean came upon the prairie last. This Brigade was charged
with guarding the general supply and pontoon trains, but as the skirmishing
began the Seventy-seventh Ohio was ordered to advance and occupy a position in
line on the right of the road, and the "Thirty-sixth Iowa, which was posted
along the train in detachments, was advanced in double quick time a distance
over two miles, and was soon posted on the left of the road. These two regiments
remained in line under arms all night." The Forty-third Indiana, which was
in the rear of the whole train, did not arrive in camp near the prairie until
about midnight. The Second Missouri Light Artillery, Battery E. was sent to the
extreme right of the Union line where it took part in the artillery duel of the
afternoon and evening. General Thayer's troops, who had arrived at the Cornelius
farm on the previous day, did not enter the prairie until the next day.

Guarding the northern border of
the prairie, immediately in front of where the Union troops entered, and
stationed on a ridge covered with brush, as seen by the Union troops, were
Confederate troops comprising the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth
Arkansas, and the Twelfth Arkansas Battalion of Sharpshooters, commanded by
Brigadier-General Thomas P. Dockery. They were at a distance of about half a
mile. Further back, on the higher ground, and somewhat further eastward, was the
Brigade of Brigadier-General Joseph O. Shelby, composed of the First Missouri
Battalion, the Fifth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Missouri Regiments, Hunter's
Missouri Regiment, and Collins' Battery. The combined forces of Dockery and
Shelby probably numbered about 2,000 men.

Occupying the defenses along the
western edge of the prairie was Colonel Colton Greene's Brigade, composed of the
Third Missouri, Fourth Missouri, Seventh Missouri, Eighth Missouri, and the
Missouri Battery. Cabell's Brigade, composed of the First Arkansas, the Fourth
Arkansas, the Seventh Arkansas, Gunter's Arkansas Battalion, and Blocher's
Arkansas Battery; and Crawford's Brigade composed of the Second Arkansas
Regiment, Crawford's Arkansas Regiment, Wright's Arkansas Regiment, Poe's
Arkansas Battalion, and McMurtrey's Arkansas Battalion were stationed on
different parts of the prairie along the southern and western sides. The
combined forces of Greene, Cabell and Crawford probably amounted to about 4,000
men. Four days earlier, the Confederates had been joined by Gano's Texas
Brigade, and Walker's Indian Brigade. These two had a total of about 1,000 men.
Thus the Confederate forces were slightly more than half as large as the Union
forces. The Confederate troops were mounted but they often fought as infantry,
with every fourth man remaining in the rear to hold horses. Major-General
Sterling Price, who had recently been placed in command of the District of
Arkansas, had arrived from Camden on April 7 and taken charge of all Confederate
operations.

As the Union army advanced, the
main Confederate line was formed along the highest ridge of the prairie. Just to
the rear of this line was the Camden-Washington road and from it a road led away
to the south. There were thus three routes along which the Union forces might
attempt to advance once they had come upon the prairie. They might follow the
road to the left and advance toward Camden. They might continue south across the
prairie and on to Red River, or they might turn to the right and try to advance
toward Washington.

The Confederates evidently
expected them to choose the last of these three routes, because it was on the
western and the southern edges of the prairie that they had spent most of their
labor in building fortification. General Steele, however, had already decided,
even as early as April 7, that he would go to Camden. He so informed General
William T. Sherman in a dispatch of that date in which he told Sherman that he
had to go there for food and forage.

As the Union troops entered the
prairie, firing began and soon an artillery duel was in progress. Skirmishers
were sent forward and heavy firing of small arms began between these and
Dockery's troops. In a short time Dockery's troops were withdrawn, and were
ordered to take position on the left of Shelby's line. The Union troops
continued to advance and for about three hours, until dark, the fighting went
on. Then Shelby, under Marmaduke's orders, withdrew his forces a mile to the
rear, and the Union troops occupied the high ridge where the Confederates had
been stationed during the afternoon. Between this ridge and Shelby's new
position is the "Gum Grove" from which the battle takes its name.

As to the volume or effectiveness
of either the artillery or the small arms fire, it is difficult to form a
judgement. The Union troops seem to have had at least three batteries with 18
guns engaged. These were stationed at different points along the line. The
Confederates used Collins' battery with Shelby's Brigade, and Harris' battery
with Greene's Brigade. They may also have used three other batteries, those
commanded by Blocher, Krumbarr, and Hughey. One Union soldier wrote that
Shelby's artillery fire did little damage except to trees in the rear of the
Union position. Another wrote, "The loss of the enemy in horses killed was
ten times our own." Still another wrote, "From 10PM until midnight,
Vaughn's battery and the infantry supporting it were subjected to repeated
attacks from the enemy. These, however, were successfully repulsed without
serious loss. The night was cold, but the troops, without complaining, lay out
on the open prairie with no fire to warm or shelter to protect them.

In an account publiched two years
after the close of the War, one of Shelby's men wrote of the fighting in the
afternoon, "Every horse and seventeen of Collins' men lay dead and wounded
among the guns...Two of Collins' guns were withdrawn by hand. One of Shelby's
reports stated that, "The artillery duel was terrible and magnificent. The
broad prairie stretched away smoothly as a sea of glass. The long lines of
cavalry on either side of the Guns, and over all the bursting bombs and the
white powder clouds came fast and furious. For three hours the fight went
on."

Of the night engagement, one
wrote: Darkness came down upon the vast Prairie, yet the battle was not ended.
Steele showed signs of advancing and Marmaduke ordered Shelby to attack and
check him effectively. Deploying his entire brigade, except Gordon's regiment,
as skirmishers, he engaged Steele's whole army. The horizon from east to west
was one leaping incessant blaze of about 6,000 muskets lighting up the very sky
and making night hideous with the screaming missiles. The batteries, too, joined
in the combat and burst like volcanoes from the solid earth, throwing large jets
of flame at every discharge. By midnight Steele had made no advance and Shelby
withdrew his troops.

Another descripiton of the night
battle is given in one of Shelby's reports. He says, " I ordered Collins
once more to position on the naked prairie and deployed about 400 men as
skirmishers along their entire front, and a real night battle began. For three
hours more the fight went on, the whole heavens lit up with bursting bombs and
the falling flames of muskets. Their advance was checked for the night, and at
12PM I drew off after eight hours of severe fighting. Nowhere does the record so
indicate, but it would seem that other Confederate troops would have been placed
in line with those of Dockery and Shelby, along the high land of the prairie,
confronting the Union forces.

On Monday, April 11, there was
little action until the afternoon. A soldier in the Thirty-third Iowa later
recalled that "It was a beautiful day, and the singing of birds in the
thicket near us contrasted oddly with the occasional booming of the cannon and
the continued skirmishing on some part of the line. As for us, we hunted
rabbits, played euchre, read old novels, wrote away at letters, slept, and so
on, as though there were no thoughts of battle in the world."

In the afternoon, about 2:30, the
entire Union line was drawn up in battle array and a forward movement began. The
line of cavalry, infantry and artillery, extending some two or three miles
across the prairie, was an imposing sight. Even the Union troops themselves were
impressed. The Confederates, too, must have been.

Toward evening the Union line
halted for some time on the high prairie. There was considerable skirmishing in
front. There was also considerable artillery action. As night came on, the Union
troops withdrew and at least a part of them went back to occupy the same camp
they had occupied the night before. This was true of the Thirty-third Iowa and
probably, to some extent, of the other units as well.

On Monday night the troops
commanded by Shelby and Marmaduke left Prairie De Ann and camped on Prairie De
Rohan, the present site of the city of Hope, some 12 miles to the south. The
same evening Price withdrew most of the other troops from the fortifications on
the southwestern side of the prairie to a point eight miles east of Washington.
He stated that he did this in order to find a more suitable location for making
a successful stand against the Union advance. It is also possible that Price had
been influenced to withdraw the Confederates from the prairie by the formidable
showing made by the Union troops in their advance on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday morning about daylight
the entire Union army began advancing over the prairie toward the Confederate
entrenchments on the western side. Price had left a small force here with orders
to withdraw as the Union forces advanced. At times the skirmishing was reported
to be "quite lively." The Confederates gradually withdrew. About 9
o'clock the Union troops reached the edge of the woods and entered the
Confederate entrenchments which had just been evacuated. They found "nearly
a mile of rifle pits with positions for artillery, and nearly a mile of felled
timber thrown up as breastworks." It is these entrenchments that can still
be seen along the western edge of the prairie, to the north and the south of Hwy
371, in the vicinity of Miller's store.

As the Confederates withdrew, the
Union cavalry was sent in pursuit, as if it were Steele's intention to follow
Price in the direction of Washington, but the main column, with the wagon train,
took the road eastward across the prairie in the direction of Camden. After
following the Confederates for several miles, the Union cavalry returned to the
prairie and joined the rest of the Union forces in the march eastward. That
night, Tuesday, April 12, the head of the Union column encamped on Terre Rouge
Creek, several miles to the east of the present city of Prescott. Other Union
troops camped along the road in the rear of these, and many, especially Thayer's
troops, did not leave the prairie until the next day, Wednesday, April 13.

When General Price discovered
that the Union army had changed its course and was moving in the direction of
Camden, he decided to return to the prairie and attack its rear as it withdrew.
Gano's Texas brigade and Walker's Choctaw Brigade, commanded by General Samuel
B. Maxey, together with Dockey's Brigade, now returned, recrossed the prairie
and attacked Thayer's troops as they were leaving the prairie in the afternoon
about 1 o'clock. For four hours the fighting continued. Thayer deployed his men
in the edge of the timber and here he stationed the Second Indiana Battery.
During the entrenchment this battery fired more than 200 shots, solid and shell,
an average of about one a minute throughout the afternoon. At length the
Confederates withdrew, and were pursued back across the prairie for a distance
of some four miles. About 5 o'clock the pursuit ended and the fighting ceased.
Under cover of the night, Thayer withdrew his troops from the prairie, renewed
the march, and "marched all night through a swamp" to the east of
Moscow. In this engagement, known as the "Battle of Moscow," Thayer
reported a loss of seven killed and twenty-four wounded. The Confederate loss
was not reported.

The fighting at Moscow brought to
an end the fighting on the prairie. The Union troops moved on to Camden. Here
they remained for ten days. While there, one detachment fought the Battle of the
Poison Springs, another, the Battle of Marks' Mills. On the way from Camden to
Little Rock the entire army was attacked at Jenkins' Ferry on the Saline River.
Here both armies suffered considerable loss, but the Union forces managed to
escape across the river and get back to Little Rock. The expedition had
accomplished nothing. Prairie De Ann had been the turning point in the
expedition.

"The Action at Prairie De
Ann" was written by J.H. Atkinson, Little Rock, Arkansas. A copy is on file
in the Prescott- Nevada County Depot Museum office, Prescott, Arkansas.